What is the benefit of mint and what is its harm? Do the leaves of this plant really help you lose weight, cure colds and improve skin condition? Let's try to understand this issue.

Peppermint and its medicinal properties have been familiar to people since antiquity. It is widely used today in traditional medicine. This plant, which has a pleasant smell, was used for the treatment of various diseases by ancient doctors: Paracelsus, Avicenna, Hippocrates, etc. With the help of this aromatic herb, they treated gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, and stimulated intellectual activity. Also, this plant is widely known for its diuretic, warming, diaphoretic and analgesic effects.

The plant contains phytoncides that dilate blood vessels. This improves attention and memory. Also, mint contains many essential oils containing carotene, menthol, betaine, hesperidin. There are many acids in this plant that are useful for the body. It contains linoleic, mellicic, ursolic, oleanolic, valeric acids.

Using peppermint for weight loss

As a raw material, mint leaves are used, collected in summer during the flowering of the plant and then dried in the shade. Mint is widely used for weight loss . In addition, the plant has an antispasmodic, sedative, antimicrobial, choleretic effect. It has a positive effect on smooth muscles and increases the secretion of the digestive glands.

To lose weight helps the use of mint lemonade, which is prepared as follows:

1. A couple of liters of filtered or boiled water is poured into a glass vessel.
2. Peel the lemon and cut it into small pieces;
3. Place the chopped lemon pulp in a vessel with water;
4. Add fourteen mint leaves to the lemon water.
5. Place the jug with the drink in the refrigerator for several hours.

Mint lemonade perfectly refreshes, effectively quenches thirst, so it is very pleasant to drink it in the summer heat. Drinking 3-4 glasses of such lemonade daily, you can lose a few pounds without much effort on your part.

For all the usefulness of this plant, it also has certain contraindications:

• taking peppermint is contraindicated in case of insufficient secretion of gastric juice;
• mint infusions are contraindicated for hypotensive patients;
• people with respiratory distress, for example, asthmatics, in whom mint can cause bronchospasm, should be taken with caution.
• mint tea while breastfeeding can cause a deterioration in lactation;
• mint lowers the tone of blood vessels, therefore it can cause varicose veins (mint cannot be used for varicose veins);
• Peppermint for insomnia can cause further sleep loss and anxiety.

How does mint affect the heart?

People with heart disease are interested in how mint affects the heart? This plant helps to stabilize the work of this organ in case of arrhythmias and angina pectoris, to eliminate spasms of the heart muscle. However, with excessive consumption of mint, pain in the region of the heart may appear.

Is peppermint good for women or not?

Mint is extremely beneficial for women. It is used to relieve climacteric symptoms. Using mint for menstruation , you can get rid of pain. Mint infusions help to cure inflammatory gynecological diseases. Many women use peppermint during pregnancy.

Fragrant mint tea helps new mothers to finish breastfeeding their babies. Many mothers use mint to stop lactation as a natural, safe for the body. Mint for babies is completely safe, so it can be safely consumed during breastfeeding.

Is mint tea good for weight loss?

Mint tea can help you lose weight quickly. According to scientists, mint enhances the secretion of bile in the digestive system. Since bile is actively involved in the breakdown of fat, helping food move faster through the digestive tract, many obese people use peppermint tea for weight loss. Mint improves metabolism, regulates intestinal motility, and also eliminates dysbiosis, removes toxins from the body. All these properties of peppermint contribute to obtaining a quick effect when used for weight loss.

Can mint be eaten with pressure?

Mint with pressure is useful only for hypertensive patients. This plant has the ability to significantly expand blood vessels and reduce their tone, which provides a decrease in pressure. The systematic use of mint tea is beneficial for people suffering from hypotension. After drinking one cup of this tea, a person calms down and relaxes, his blood pressure gradually returns to normal.

Using mint for colds and coughs

Mint is very useful for colds. Mint decoctions and infusions are used to treat various colds. Consuming mint when coughing helps to dilate the bronchi and facilitates the excretion of phlegm. However, people suffering from bronchitis with an asthmatic component, bronchial asthma, should use mint drinks with caution, since they can provoke the development of bronchospasm in them.

For colds and coughs, mint infusion with vodka helps, which is prepared as follows:

1. Fresh mint leaves are washed and chopped.
2. The crushed leaves are placed in a jar.
3. Vodka is poured into the container so that the liquid completely covers the mint.
4. The tincture is placed in a cool, dark place for ten days.
5. Take the remedy twenty drops before meals a couple of times a day.

Mint for heartburn, poisoning and diarrhea

Mint infusions are good for treating diseases of the intestines and stomach. Mint is good for heartburn. Mint is no less useful in case of poisoning. Due to its antimicrobial action, it helps to neutralize and remove toxins and other harmful substances from the body. The antimicrobial effect of this plant also makes mint useful for diarrhea. .

Is mint harmful for gastritis and high acidity?

This plant has the ability to reduce stomach acidity. Therefore, mint for gastritis , accompanied by excessive acidity, it is very useful. Peppermint with increased acidity helps to reduce the acidity of the stomach, remove inflammation, get rid of pain. If the acidity is low, mint infusions should not be consumed.

How to use mint for pancreatitis?

The regenerating ability of this plant ensures the healing of inflamed tissues of the stomach, intestines, and pancreas. Mint is very useful for pancreatitis. Mint infusions can be drunk for all types of pancreatitis. It also helps in the treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies in those people who suffer from chronic alcoholism.

How to use nail mint?

Mint for nails is used in the form of baths. The essential oils contained in this plant, as well as various tannins, strengthen nails, make them shiny and healthy.

This fragrant plant is very beneficial for hair as well. It gives the hair a pleasant aroma, eliminates scalp flaking, and nourishes the hair roots. For hair care, rinse with mint water.

How to use peppermint for your face properly?

Mint is extremely useful for the face. In cosmetology, this plant is used dried and fresh. It can be used fresh in summer and dried in winter. Decoctions for washing, infusions and face masks are made from mint. You can also use mint ice to rub it over your face.

• tone up the skin of the face;
• heal inflammation;
• help to remove traces of fatigue;
• slow down the aging of the body;
• make vessels stronger;
• cleanse the skin;
• normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands.

Rules for using mint for the face

• This plant can cause allergies or irritation, therefore, before applying mint preparations to the skin of the face, they should be tested on the wrist;
• fresh mint is suitable for the preparation of masks, and it is better to use dried mint for decoctions and infusions;
• the mint mask can only be applied to a cleansed face;
• after use, the mask is washed off with water, it is not necessary to wash off the infusions or decoctions;
• the mint mask cannot be kept on the face for more than a quarter of an hour;
• apply this mask once a week.

How to make a mint infusion for your face?

Preparing a mint infusion for your face is not difficult at all. To prepare it, you must perform the following steps:

1. Pour boiling water over a tablespoon of dried mint leaves (one glass).
2. The mixture is insisted for some time in a sealed container (at least twenty minutes).
3. After that, the infusion is filtered, cooled and used to wipe the face.

Mint infusion invigorates, refreshes the skin, relieves inflammation and irritation, eliminates traces of fatigue.

The cold infusion can be poured into ice-making trays and then placed in the freezer. It is very useful to wipe the neck and face with mint ice. This should be done with sliding, light movements. Mint wipes refresh, cleanse and tone the skin. They are especially useful in the summer heat.

Making a mint face mask

Masks are made from fresh mint leaves. To prepare such a mask, take twelve mint leaves, a third of a fresh cucumber and a spoonful of lemon juice. Finely grind and mix all the ingredients, then apply to the face. This mask is most beneficial for oily skin. Natural mint mask provides pore tightening, and also removes oily shine from the skin, minimizes inflammation.

Is mint useful for men (for a hangover, for potency)?

But men should not get carried away with these plants at all. This plant is female, so it affects male libido negatively. Mint is not at all useful for men. It is not necessary for men to completely eliminate mint, just men should minimize its use, since mint is harmful for potency. Mint with a hangover helps to cleanse the body of alcohol toxins and improve overall well-being.

Features of the use of mint for headaches

Two methods are used to eliminate headaches. The essence of the quick method is to apply fresh leaves of this plant to the forehead and fix them. The second method involves steeping mint in alcohol for a week. Whiskey is rubbed with peppermint alcohol, as well as the back of the head and forehead for headaches. Using this remedy helps to quickly reduce or eliminate pain.

Mint for diabetes - is it good or not?

Due to its ability to normalize the functioning of the pancreas, mint is used in the complex treatment of diabetes mellitus. Peppermint for diabetes allows you to lower sugar and normalize the general condition. To prepare a remedy, in addition to mint, dandelion root is also needed.

To make an infusion, you need:

1. Take three tablespoons of mint, a spoonful of dandelion root.
2. All this should be poured with a glass of water, heat it up and boil this solution for a couple of minutes.
3. After that, the infusion must be insisted (insist for about half an hour).
4. This remedy should be consumed in a quarter of a glass on an empty stomach.

Is mint good for a cold?

Mint is widely used for the common cold, catarrh of the larynx and pharynx, as well as for diseases of the respiratory tract. Mint inhalations help to quickly remove puffiness from the nasopharynx. During this procedure, mint essential oil is used. Also, the patient can inhale the scent of a smoldering mint leaf. When using this method of therapy, a positive effect is observed even in the presence of acute sinusitis.

How to use mint for cystitis?

Even advanced cystitis can be cured with mint. This herb allows you to quickly heal sudden or chronic inflammation of the bladder. For the treatment of cystitis, a mint broth is prepared.

To prepare it, proceed as follows:

1. twenty grams of dried mint leaves are poured with one or one and a half glasses of boiling water.
2. for about seven minutes the broth is boiled over a fire.
3. Within a month, such a decoction is taken daily three times a day, one glass.

Is mint bad for children?

Mint is very useful for children. It is usually added to tea. Mint tea is very fragrant and healthy. It has a calming effect. This drink can be given to children over three years old. In hot weather, mint leaves can be added to homemade lemonade or a cooling shake for your baby.

Mint teas can be added to the water used for bathing babies. Prepare such a decoction as follows:

1. Four tablespoons of crushed dried leaves are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water.
2. After that, the broth is insisted for about forty minutes.
3. Then the liquid is filtered.
4. The strained broth is poured into a bath with water for bathing the baby.

Mint bath helps babies to relax, calm down quickly before bed.

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37

Health 04/28/2014

Dear readers, today I propose to talk about such a familiar and, probably, many beloved herb like mint. One name is "mint" and the aroma comes right away, right? At least, I always have such associations. This fragrant herb has long been considered healing.

It is popular in our time. Moreover, its medicinal properties are complemented by its use in cooking and cosmetology. Remembering mint, we most often associate it with freshness. After all, the "visiting card" of this plant is its aroma - fresh and spicy.

What “with the taste and smell of mint” has not been invented by the modern industry: perfumes and deodorants, teas and cocktails, ointments and toothpastes. But what is it? Marketing move? Or does mint really have such a broad spectrum of action? I propose to get acquainted with this familiar herb and find out what benefits it can bring, how and for what it can be used.

To begin with, there are quite a few varieties of mint - about 25. The most common for us is peppermint... In pharmacology, in addition to it, steppe mint and water mint are also sometimes used. Peppermint appeared as a result of crossing of two species - water mint and spearmint. It is found in two varieties: white mint (completely green) and black mint (has a red-purple stem and veins on the leaves).

A seemingly inconspicuous plant, however, has been valued since ancient times. Mint was believed to be able to clarify the mind, which is why Roman thinkers and philosophers wore mint wreaths. Aristotle walked around in wreaths of mint, somewhere they drove out evil spirits, in Russia they hung it everywhere to remove the evil eye. It was presented as a gift and even payment for a product or service.

The main "trump card" for which peppermint is valued is the menthol it contains. A special mint oil, by the specific spicy smell of which we recognize mint. This essential oil is contained in the ground part of the plant - leaves and inflorescences.

Mint. Compound.

In addition to menthol, mint contains a whole list of medicinal substances of absolutely natural origin:

• Vitamin C
• Tannins
• Carotene
• Rutin
• Phytostyrene

Mint. Beneficial features

1. Relieves pain
2. Mint has a strong bactericidal effect
3. Has a vasodilating and choleretic effect
4. Tones up
5. Soothes
6. Has anti-cancer effect

All of these properties of mint make the range of its application wide enough. Moreover, it is used not only in alternative medicine recipes, but also in official pharmacology. Everyone knows mint tablets for nausea, cough and runny nose ointments. But what can we say - the old acquaintance "Pectusin" is also made on the basis of mint.

How can a fragrant herb help? What problems does it solve?

• Medicinal mint is used to treat colds, bronchitis, laryngitis, sore throat and upper respiratory tract diseases.
• It will help to cope with headaches, nervous excitement, insomnia and depression.
• It will relieve constipation and colic, the bitterness of mint will help outflow of bile and cleanse the liver.
• It stabilizes the heart rate, dilates blood vessels and helps with high blood pressure.
• It disinfects the oral cavity well, freshens breath, reduces inflammation of the gums.
• It will help women cope with the difficulties caused by menopause.

I suggest watching a video on the beneficial properties of mint.

Mint. Application

1. Mint tea... The most common recipe using menthol herb is mint tea. Such a drink will relieve nervous irritability, calm down, and give a sound healthy sleep. Also useful for colds. We need four fresh mint leaves. Chop them finely and fill with a cup of boiled water. We wait 20 seconds and drain the water. After that, pour a cup of boiling water over the mint again and let stand for 2 minutes. According to the indications, you can drink one glass of mint tea during the day. I don't know about you, but I love this tea so much. At the dacha we have a lot of mint growing. And then you pick a few leaves, brew them, or just put 1-2 leaves in any tea and enjoy the aroma. It just can't be conveyed. And I always dry it for the winter. Moreover, no matter how much I dry it, there is always not enough. I always give it to my friends. Everyone knows my love for mint.
2. Mint infusion... This recipe uses dried herb. We take one tablespoon and pour a glass of boiling water, let it brew for 30-40 minutes. We filter and drink a third of the glass twice a day, about 20 minutes before meals. Mint infusion is used as a preventive measure for gastritis, to get rid of nausea and pain in the heart. After drinking half a glass of the drug, you can stop vomiting. The same infusion will help to cope with bad breath. In this case, it is used as a rinse.
3. Mint decoction... This tool will ease the condition of the female body during menopause. Pour two teaspoons of dry mint with 500 ml of hot water and bring to a boil over low heat. Boil for 10 minutes and then let it brew for another 30 minutes. Consume one tablespoon three to four times a day half an hour before meals.
4. Peppermint essential oil well helps with bloating, heartburn. You can put a few drops of peppermint oil in a tablespoon of water or on a sugar cube. It is also used for inhalations carried out with a nebulizer. This is how bronchitis or a cold accompanied by a cough is treated.
5. You can cook and alcoholic tincture of mint ... For this, a teaspoon of dry mint is poured into 100 ml of alcohol. Let it brew for a week and use it for headaches, anointing the whiskey.

Mint in cosmetology

The disinfecting and tonic properties of mint could not go unnoticed by cosmetologists. And from their standpoint, they also state the benefits of mint, recommending its use for making lotions.

Preparing mint toning lotion.

Mint toning lotion is as easy to make as a decoction. Take the color of mint or mint leaves (1 tablespoon) and pour a glass of boiling water, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. We are waiting for the broth to cool down and wipe our face.

Mint mask for sore and watery eyes.

Sore red watery eyes will be saved by a mint mask. We take two tablespoons of mint and pour 500 ml of boiling water. We insist for half an hour and filter and squeeze. In fact, we are preparing a decoction, but now we do not need a liquid, but a gruel from the brewed herb. That is, the resulting broth can be used at your discretion, but we wrap the chilled gruel in several layers of gauze. Apply to eyes for 15 minutes.

Mint mask to strengthen hair and to fight baldness.

We take a tablespoon of mint and two teaspoons of lemon balm and oak bark. Pour 500 ml of boiling water and let it brew for a day. We squeeze and mix the resulting gruel with yogurt (2 glasses). Apply the product to the scalp and hair and keep it for about half an hour. After the procedure, wash your hair with shampoo.

But an alcoholic tincture of peppermint is used to combat hair loss. Every evening it should be rubbed into the affected areas of the scalp. Better to do this with a cotton pad. By the way, the infusion of mint obtained during the preparation of the mask can be used after washing as a hair rinse. Here is such a waste-free production.

Mint in cooking.

The aromatic herb is often used for culinary purposes as well. Fresh mint leaves are used in salads, vegetable soups. They complement the taste of cheeses and fish dishes, decorate pastries.

Dried and fresh mint is found in recipes for marinades and sauces, and is actively used for making cocktails and soft drinks.

Here are some mint recipes:

1. Mint jam... Recipe. 300 g of fresh mint (you can take not only leaves, but also stems and flowers) pour 0.5 liters of water. To enhance the taste and smell, you can add finely chopped lemon along with the peel. We cook all this for 10 minutes and let it brew for 24 hours. After that we filter everything and cook the resulting infusion again, this time adding sugar (700-900 g) for about two hours on very low heat, we practically do not cook, but "simmer". We pour it into jars and close it for future use or use it immediately. Can be used as a tasty and healthy cold medicine.
2. Greek cucumber and mint sauce (Tzatsiki) ... Rub the cucumber, peeled and seeds, on a grater. Put the yogurt (natural, unsweetened) in a colander lined with a paper towel or gauze. It is necessary for the liquid to separate. This will take about four hours. Mix the strained yogurt and grated cucumber, add salt (0.5 teaspoon), chopped garlic (12 cloves), pepper and chopped fresh mint (about 20 leaves). Let stand in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and taste.
3. Non-alcoholic Mojito (mint cocktail) ... In general, this drink is considered alcoholic, but it tastes good even when sober. Tear six sprigs of fresh mint into pieces and throw them into a glass, add a teaspoon of sugar there. The original recipe indicated brown sugar, but I tried to cook it with regular white (if brown sugar was not at hand) - delicious! Rub the mint with sugar. Cut the half of the lime into four parts (you can also replace it with lemon if you wish). Next, fill it all with crushed ice and pour about 200 ml of sparkling water. If you want an alcoholic mojito, add 40 ml of rum. A matter of taste and circumstance.

Mint. Contraindications

Low blood pressure (hypotension) is a ban on the use of mint-based drugs. Pregnant and lactating women should not consume peppermint oil. Mint should not be given to children under the age of four. Also, do not get carried away with mint for men. Long-term use of it can cause a decrease in libido and a decline in "male power".

In both men and women, overdose may cause sleep disturbance. And in general, it should be remembered that mint is a drug, which means that it must be consumed strictly as directed.

And you need to know one more subtlety in the use of mint. For anyone with gastrointestinal problems, peppermint can trigger heartburn. So let's be wise. Don't overdo it with mint. Measure is good in everything.

How to choose a mint?

Actually, there are three options - buy, collect and prepare or grow it yourself.

1. Buy mint.

With dried grass, everything is simple - it is always sold in pharmacies. Both separately and as part of the collection (as a rule, sedatives, chest or choleretic). But fresh can be found mainly in large supermarkets. Since mint is used for culinary purposes, it means that as a product for cooking can be found in stores. Or you can buy it on the market. If you buy mint in a supermarket or from private traders, pay attention to its color and just smell it. It should smell like mint. Her smell is pronounced.

2. How to collect and dry mint.

Here we will have to go a little further than the nearest pharmacy or supermarket. Best of all, out of town, in the forest, where the grass is not saturated with exhaust and polluted city air. Many people plant mint in their backyards so that they can later use it for health and beauty.

You can store it fresh or in water or in the refrigerator. If you put it in water, it will remind you of such a fresh, fragrant bouquet. How nice, right? I love. But it will not stand like that for long.

Both wild and garden mint should be harvested during the flowering period. It happens once a year and falls in June-July. There is no point in collecting mint before - young plants will lose their properties and aroma after drying.

You only need to collect dry mint. So the options after the rain or early in the morning, when there is still dew on the leaves, will not work. We have to wait. Until the leaves dry, and only then pluck the leaves separately or together with the stem.

Collected stems and leaves should be divided into small bunches and hung to dry out of sunlight - in a dark, but well-ventilated place. You can create suitable conditions in the balcony or attic. If only the leaves were collected, then they can be laid out on a canvas, but also removed from the light and provide fresh air.

Dried mint can be stored in a glass jar with a lid tightly closed or placed in a cloth bag.

3. Grow mint at home. Like any other greenery, mint can be grown at home on a windowsill.

From me to you my favorite recipe for homemade mint lemonade.

Take chilled sparkling water, lime or lemon, add everything to the mineral water to taste, pour it into a glass, put a mint leaf there and decorate the glass with it on top or side. Simple, healthy, affordable and very aromatic!

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Peppermint is a perennial herb-honey plant, obtained as a result of hybrid crossing of wild-growing species (garden and water mint). It has a characteristic menthol aroma and taste. It is actively used in the field of medicine (official, non-traditional), cooking, cosmetology, and in the perfume industry.

Peppermint belongs to the genus Mint of the Lamiaceae family. This genus includes about 25 species of mint, but it is peppermint that has become widespread and recognized, due to its medicinal properties.

The plant is characterized by the presence of an erect hollow stem up to 1 m high, a branched horizontal rhizome with many fibrous roots and opposite oblong leaves with a sharp-serrate edge. Mint flowers are small, have a light purple color and are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. Fruits are rarely formed; they are represented by a coenobium consisting of 4 nuts.

The medicinal properties and contraindications of mint are due to its biochemical composition. It is rich in amino acids, essential oils, resins, dietary fiber, organic acids, tannins and ash substances, water, phytosterols, fatty acids, terpenes. The plant is distinguished by a high content of vitamins (retinol, group B, nicotinic and ascorbic acids) and vital micro- and macroelements (magnesium, calcium, manganese, sodium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, copper, potassium).

Peppermint grows in Europe, in Asian countries, on the African and North American continents. It is successfully cultivated on peat and humus soils of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine. In natural conditions, it is extremely rare.

Useful and medicinal properties of mint

The medicinal plant is used as a choleretic, sedative, pain reliever. It has pronounced bactericidal and antiseptic properties. The herb has a hypotensive, vasodilating, antispasmodic effect.

Mint is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry for the production of drugs (corvalol, heart drops, valocordin, validol). The medicinal properties of the plant make it possible to use it in the presence of diseases of various body systems:

• Digestive: prescribed in case of nausea, belching, heartburn, spasms. The use of preparations based on peppermint helps to improve digestion, activates intestinal peristalsis. Effective for cholecystitis, various forms of hepatitis, gallstone disease, metabolic disorders. Destroys pathogenic microflora in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Circulatory: recommended for the normalization of blood circulation, treatment of angina pectoris, hypertension.
• Nervous: has a sedative effect on migraines, stress, neuralgia, depression, insomnia.
• Respiratory: it is prescribed as an aid for asthmatic bronchitis, sore throat, colds of bacterial or viral etiology.

Peppermint is also useful for women. It is recommended in the presence of inflammatory processes in the organs of the reproductive system, facilitates the condition during the climacteric period. Drinking mint tea improves well-being during pregnancy: eliminates heartburn, minimizes the manifestations of toxicosis.

Harm and contraindications of mint

Unlimited use of decoctions, infusions, tea based on this plant can cause problems that negatively affect health and general well-being. This should be taken into account when choosing the form of a medicinal product, its dosage, and the duration of the treatment course.

Peppermint is not recommended for ingestion by people whose work is directly related to the management of equipment and transport. This is due to the plant's ability to disturb concentration. Mint has a number of contraindications:

• Phlebeurysm;
• Hypotension;
• Low potency in men;
• Lactation period (there is a decrease in milk production);
• Children under 5 years of age. The use of drugs containing mint in infants can cause depression of respiratory function or its temporary cessation;
• Individual intolerance to the product.

In case of non-observance of the recommendations for the use of mint, the occurrence of side effects is not excluded: allergic reactions, disorders of the liver, heart, intestines. Its regular unsystematic use causes the organism to become addictive and, as a consequence, a decrease in the severity of the medicinal properties of the plant.

The use of mint in traditional medicine

The unique biochemical composition of peppermint allows it to be used in the treatment of many ailments using alternative medicine methods. The main active ingredient that determines its healing effect is menthol - an organic compound that gives the plant a characteristic refreshing taste and smell.

All aerial parts of the plant (leaves, flowers, stems) have healing properties. They are used fresh or dried internally (orally) and externally. They are used in various forms (decoctions, tinctures, teas, essential oils), each of which is characterized by its own indications, application features and contraindications.

Mint tea

It is recommended to use mint tea for any nervous disorders: stress, insomnia, emotional and physical stress. It has a choleretic effect, improves appetite, promotes the removal of sand and stones from the kidneys, gallbladder, and improves the production of bile. Helps with colic, increased gas production. The drink activates the immune system, relieves the course of colds. Tea recipes:

• 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dried leaves and inflorescences are brewed with a glass of boiling water, infused for 15 minutes and filtered through a strainer to eliminate greens.
• Freshly harvested mint leaves (5 pieces) are crushed, poured with boiling water and kept for 7 minutes.
• To brew baby tea, you need boiling water (half a liter) and dried mint (1 tbsp. A flat spoon). The drink is wrapped in a towel and infused for 1 hour. The finished tea should be filtered and added sugar or honey (in the absence of allergies).

Tea infusion is prescribed for increased acidity of gastric juice, menstrual pain, during pregnancy and menopause. Its concentrated solution is used to rinse the mouth in case of an unpleasant odor, to rinse the nose with a runny nose.

Mint decoction

Peppermint decoction is effective in the presence of constipation (including chronic), high acidity of the stomach, accompanied by sour belching. It can be used as an adjunct drug in the treatment of pulmonary hemorrhage. Cooking methods:

• Chopped dry mint (15 g) is poured with boiling water (200 ml) and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. The drink must be infused for half an hour, then filtered. It is taken on an empty stomach for 1 tbsp. spoon for taking three times a day.
• A mixture of dry crushed plants is preliminarily prepared - three-leaf watch, mint and St. John's wort in a ratio of 1: 6: 12, respectively. To create a medicine, you need a herbal mixture (2 tablespoons) and half a liter of boiling water. The composition is kept in a thermos for 2 hours, filtered. The resulting volume of broth is consumed within 1 day in 6 receptions.

For diseases of the upper respiratory system, water decoctions can be used for inhalation (vapors are inhaled for 15 minutes). In the case of dermatoses, baths are prescribed with the addition of an aqueous extract of mint (50 g of dried raw materials are used for 10 liters of water).

Peppermint tincture

Tincture based on an alcohol solution is used in the form of inhalations, rinsing for inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system (nasopharynx, throat, trachea, bronchi). It is prescribed for headaches (including migraines), for dermatological diseases. Peppermint Tincture Recipes:

• Crushed dry plants (20 g) are mixed with a 75% alcohol solution or vodka (100 ml), insisted for 2.5 weeks in a dark room. The resulting composition is filtered through a gauze cut and take 15 drops per dose up to 4 times a day.
• Freshly picked mint (6 branches) is poured with hot water (100 ml) for 2 hours. Sugar (100 g) is dissolved in the resulting infusion. Add half a liter of vodka and incubate for 2.5 weeks under conditions of low temperature and absence of light.

The use of tincture is recommended for sleep disorders, nervous overexcitation, hiccups,. It improves appetite, stimulates the functions of the digestive system, improves the functioning of the heart, and is prescribed for gynecological diseases. The tincture is contraindicated for hypotensive patients, pregnant and lactating women, men suffering from low potency, children under 12 years of age.

Peppermint essential oil

The oil is widely used for diseases and disorders of the digestive, respiratory, endocrine, and nervous systems. Effective in case of tachycardia, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, hypertension. It is used to treat infectious diseases (flu, tracheitis, pharyngitis,), in the presence of stomatitis, caries, gum disease. It has an analgesic and tonic effect. How to use essential oil:

• Inside three times a day, 1 - 3 drops per dose. It is used together with refined sugar or honey. It is necessary to drink the medicine with fermented milk drinks, juice, tea.
• Inhalation by means of a nebulizer: for 1 procedure, use 2 drops of oil per 10 ml of saline. Carried out once a day.
• Massage: 5 drops of peppermint ether are dissolved in 10 ml of vegetable oil.
• Rinse the throat, mouth: 2 - 5 drops of the drug in half a glass of water.
• Aromatherapy: no more than 6 drops per 15 sq. m.
• Applying compresses: 5 drops per 10 ml of alcohol solution.
• Healing baths: up to 7 drops for the whole volume of water.

Exceeding the recommended dosage can harm mental and physical health. Contraindications to the use of essential oil: children under 7 years of age, lactation period, first half of pregnancy, allergic rhinitis, individual intolerance to the drug.

The use of mint in cosmetology

Mint is widely used in the cosmetic and perfumery industries. On its basis, products are produced that provide a cooling, aseptic, soothing and at the same time tonic effect. The plant extract is also used in the production of cosmetic products designed to eliminate unpleasant odors (antiperspirant deodorants, oral sprays).

The medicinal properties of peppermint make it possible to use it to improve the appearance of the skin, nails, hair, and to establish physiological processes in them. On its basis, professional lotions, creams, masks, balms, scrubs, peels are produced. Peppermint can be used at home to create similar remedies.

Facial skin care with mint

Cosmetics with peppermint are characterized by the ability to remove accumulated ecotoxins from tissues, normalize the work of the sebaceous glands, eliminate itching, irritation, and inflammation. They tone, moisturize the skin of the body and face, saturate it with vitamins, microelements, and improve color. The plant is recommended for combating acne and pimples. Ways to use peppermint:

• Lotion for combination, oily skin: 3 tbsp. tablespoons of dried leaves are poured with 200 ml of hot water. The broth is infused for half an hour and filtered through a gauze cut. It is used daily twice a day.
• Nourishing mask: mix freshly harvested mint leaves (12 pieces), 1 yolk and fat sour cream (100 g). The composition is applied to the skin for 15 minutes.

Cosmetics with mint increase the protective function of the epidermis, improve the condition of the skin in case of sunburn. They are effective in the presence of bacterial dermatitis, rosacea, acne, eczema, fungal infections. Appointed in case of shingles, dermatosis, scabies, burns.

Hair mint

Peppermint has bactericidal properties, cools and tones the scalp, and reduces sebum production. Promotes moisturizing and nourishing hair, restoring its natural structure. Effectively eliminates itching, dandruff, oily sheen, accelerates the healing of microcracks. Use cases:

• Add 2 drops of essential peppermint oil to a single serving of shampoo. The product is applied to the hair, foamed, left for 2 minutes and washed off with a large volume of running warm water.
• Leaves (2 tablespoons) are brewed with hot water (400 ml). The liquid is infused for half an hour, cooled and 2 drops of mint ether are added to it. The prepared composition is used to rinse clean hair.

Such funds normalize the acid-base balance, restore strands after chemical styling and dyeing, give them strength and density. Peppermint accelerates the growth of curls, strengthens weakened, brittle hair, prevents hair loss. A contraindication to the use of the product is the presence of deep open wounds on the scalp.

Collecting and harvesting mint

The timing of the collection of plant materials varies depending on the purposes of its subsequent use. Mint leaves are harvested in the first half of July (budding phase). The collection of the aboveground parts of plants used to obtain essential oil is carried out in July and August (the period of active mass flowering).

The fastest way to harvest mint is to dry it in the oven, but this method involves obtaining low-quality raw materials with a short shelf life. The optimal method for preserving all the nutrients in the leaves is drying in vivo:

1. Cut mint is dried in the sun for 4 - 5 hours.
2. Further drying is carried out under a ventilated canopy that hides the plants from the sun's rays. Leaves are periodically turned up. This stage lasts about a week.

Peppermint is stored in a closed container (dense paper bags, fabric bags, cans) in dark and low humidity conditions. The storage time is 2 years.

Video: the healing properties of mint

The video provides information on the chemical composition of the plant, its medicinal properties, indications for use. Recommendations are given on the choice of a product, methods of storing fresh and dried mint, options for their use in medicine, cooking. Ailments are described in which the use of mint is contraindicated.

Watching the video allows you to get a visual idea of ​​the effect of menthol on the body. Possible options for the preparation of mint (including a recipe for a refreshing mint lemonade) are suggested.

Peppermint is a unique plant successfully used to treat many diseases of various organs and systems of the human body. But, despite all the beneficial properties of the herb, its use should be strictly dosed. In the presence of serious ailments, the intake of a medicinal plant should be agreed with the attending physician.

Mint is the oldest medicinal plant in the labiate family, with a specific odor. There are twenty-five types and ten subspecies of mint.

Mint is field and garden, curly and apple, water and marsh, Asian and Japanese, pepper and fragrant. All species differ slightly in chemical composition, appearance and smell. Thanks to the essential oil, mint exudes a pleasant, subtle scent that refreshes and soothes.

Description and chemical composition of mint

Peppermint is a perennial herb with branched erect stems reaching a height of one meter. Mint leaves are simple, elongated, serrated at the edges. The leaves are dark green above, and light green below. Mint flowers are small red-purple, collected on the upper parts of the shoots in spike-shaped inflorescences. Mint blooms from June to September.

Peppermint is bred by crossing wild-growing species and is grown on plantations as a medicinal and essential plant, gardeners breed it on their backyards, and peppermint is not found in the wild.

Field mint or meadow mint is a perennial herb with a creeping rhizome, with branched stems. The leaves of the meadow mint are oblong, serrated at the edges, the flowers are lilac-pink, collected in spherical whorls. Blooms from June to October. Field mint grows on the banks of reservoirs, in damp places in meadows.

Medicinal raw materials are the leaves and the ground part of the plant, which are harvested at the beginning of flowering. It is better to pick mint in sunny weather, in the first half of the day, since at this time there is a greater amount of essential oil in the leaves. Mint grass is dried in the shade, under a canopy, on the roof.

Other types of mint also have healing properties and are used in folk medicine to treat many ailments.

The chemical composition of mint contains biologically active substances that have a beneficial effect on the human body. It is an essential oil based on menthol and other esters - cineole, pulegon, limonene and various terpenes, organic acids and flavonoids, tannins and bitterness, carotene, trace elements - manganese, copper and other chemical compounds.

Medicinal properties and application

Since ancient times, mint has been used to treat various ailments.
In official medicine, peppermint is used - leaves, menthol and essential oil, are added to the composition of tablets, balms, candles and aerosols. Mint drops, mint oil and ointments are prepared from it. Mint leaves are included in medicinal fees.

Other types of mint are also used in folk medicine.

Dry raw materials are used to prepare infusions and decoctions, and mint oil, alcoholic tinctures are prepared from fresh leaves, added to drinks, salads, and used to decorate culinary dishes.

Mint has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic effects and is effective in combating colds and viral diseases, is used to treat sore throats, pharyngitis, bronchitis and rhinitis, inhalations from mint oil are used for severe coughs.

Mint preparations relieve pain and cramps and are used to treat the digestive system. Infusions from the leaves are drunk with heartburn and nausea, with belching and flatulence, with gastrointestinal cramps. Peppermint increases appetite and improves digestion.

It is used as a choleretic agent for cholecystitis, hepatitis, cholelithiasis.

The sedative properties of mint have a calming effect on the nervous system, relieve emotional stress, promote good sleep, reduce pain during menstruation and facilitate an easier course of menopause.

Peppermint also has vasodilating properties - it dilates blood vessels, improves blood circulation, relieves headaches.

Preparations with the addition of mint are used to treat angina pectoris, hypertension, migraine.

Mint is used in cosmetology, dermatology, dentistry. Peppermint oil is added to cosmetics - soaps, shampoos, lip balms, creams, refreshing gels, toothpastes, mouth rinses.

Peppermint reduces inflammation and increases the protective properties of the skin, soothes and refreshes, improves blood circulation to the hair, freshens breath, and eliminates bad odors.

Mint is widely used in the food industry, it is added to confectionery, buns, gingerbread, cookies, sweets, ice cream, to alcoholic beverages, drinks, teas, and chewing gums.

In cooking, fresh mint is used, added to salads, as a spicy seasoning for meat and fish dishes.

The refreshing property of mint is used against sour milk.

Menthol is used in the tobacco industry to make cigarettes.

Contraindications for use

Before being treated with mint preparations, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the contraindications for use and consult your doctor!

Mint and preparations from it are contraindicated:

• pregnant women,
• women who are breastfeeding,
• children under three years old,
• people with hypersensitivity to mint preparations.

An overdose of mint preparations can cause pain in the heart, sleep disturbance and impaired libido in men, bronchial spasms and allergic reactions on the skin.

Alternative treatments for mint

In folk medicine, mint is widely used to treat various diseases, to improve digestion and appetite, as a sedative, analgesic and sleeping pill.

Mint is used to prepare infusions and decoctions, which are used internally to treat the gastrointestinal tract, nervous and cardiac systems, externally for rinsing for diseases of the upper respiratory tract and oral cavity, for medicinal baths, as a means for washing with skin problems.

Peppermint oil has a calming effect and is used to treat diseases of the nervous system, diseases of the heart and respiratory tract, in diseases of the musculoskeletal system, to restore strength.

Infusion recipe for hypertension

Pour 2 teaspoons of dry mint with a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes. Take one tablespoon of the infusion in the morning and in the evening for two weeks, take a seven-day break and repeat the treatment again.

Recipe for infusion for gallstone disease

Pour a teaspoon of dry raw materials with a glass of boiling water. Insist thirty minutes, drain. Take the infusion three times a day, half a glass 15 minutes before meals.

Recipe for gastrointestinal diseases

Pour 2 tablespoons of dry mint with half liters of boiling water, close the container with a lid and leave for an hour. Strain the infusion and take half a glass three times a day half an hour before meals.

Infusion for constipation and bloating

Pour a tablespoon of mint with a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes, strain, take half a glass three times a day before meals.

Infusion for painful and heavy menstruation

2 tablespoons of dry mint leaves pour half a liter of boiling water, leave for two hours. Strain, take the infusion during the day for half a glass.

Decoction for gastritis

Pour a tablespoon of dry raw materials with a glass of hot water, heat in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Cool the broth, strain, take 4 times a day a quarter of a glass.

Decoction for cholelithiasis

Pour a teaspoon of dry mint leaves with a glass of boiling water, heat in a boiling water bath for fifteen minutes, stirring. Cool the broth and strain. Add boiled water until the original volume is obtained. Take half a glass of broth twice a day 15 minutes before meals.

Mint decoction for depression

Pour a tablespoon of mint with a glass of hot water, simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, insist, covering with a lid. When cool, strain. Take half a glass of broth in the morning and evening.

Mint decoction for therapeutic baths for scrofula, rickets, for joint pain

Pour 50 grams of dry mint in eight liters of hot water, boil for 15 minutes, leave for half an hour, strain. Fill the bath with hot water and pour out the broth. Take a therapeutic bath for 20 minutes, every other day.

Mint tincture

Grind 50 grams of fresh mint leaves and pour in a liter of vodka, leave in a dark place for 2 weeks. Strain the finished tincture. Take to improve digestion and appetite.

Peppermint oil

Peppermint oil stimulates the nervous system, relieves nervous tension, improves the emotional state in case of depression, restores strength, and increases physical activity.

The unique aroma and cooling taste of this herb has provided it with the attention of perfumers and culinary specialists for thousands of years. The fragrant plant was not left with attention and healers. Hippocrates, Paracelsus, and Avicenna recommended mint for headaches, digestive upsets, heart pains, and inflammation of the respiratory tract. Now mint is widely used in official medicine.

Traditional healers prepare decoctions from it, tea, alcohol and oil tinctures, use it in baths and medicinal lotions.

Herbaceous perennial grows throughout Eurasia and North America, found in Australia and South Africa. It is cultivated on large plantations for pharmaceutical, culinary and cosmetic purposes. Mint is also found in the wild - in wet meadows, along the banks of streams and even in the mountains.

Scientists have described more than 20 plant species, differing in appearance and chemical composition. The signs common to all species are an upright stem, oval leaves and small double-lipped flowers. The most popular varieties in folk medicine are lemon, field and pepper.

Lemon mint

This is one of the most ancient spicy cultures, known to ancient chefs and healers. Its botanical name is Melissa officinalis L.

The plant has a branched root system that allows it to be fixed on any soil. The straight stem extends upwards by 50-120 cm. The oval, slightly wrinkled leaves have an unusual mint-citrus scent.